


Warm Hands

by Strongindependentcheesecake



Category: Marvel, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:46:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23187232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strongindependentcheesecake/pseuds/Strongindependentcheesecake
Summary: Talia Dervish is a mutant.  Her parents aren't fond of that, so she goes to the institute. After graduation,  she wants to change minds, so she joins the Avengers.This is going to be a slow burn,  and I'm gonna try to update this on a regular basis.
Relationships: Charles Xavier & Original Female Character, James "Bucky" Barnes/Original Female Character(s), James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Original Female Character(s), Ororo Munroe & Original Female Character(s), Steve Rogers/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

"That was _beautiful_." The girl's eyes were fixed on the TV, watching a mutant demonstrate their control of water.

"If you're into that sort of thing." Her father said, not looking up from his phone. She felt her temper rise, she was angry at the discomfort in his tone. 

"I wish _I_ could do that. I mean all _I_ can do is burn things." Her voice was venomous, eager to twist the knife.

"Talia." Her father's voice was full of warning, as though she didn't know what a taboo topic her powers were. 

It's not as though her parents _disliked_ mutants. The topic just made her parents uncomfortable. They had a plan for her, and it hadn't included her development of the mutant gene. So they ignored it and were desperate to keep from talking about it.

"I'd be good on a camping trip though. No struggling to get the campfire started." Her mother stepped in from the kitchen, drying her hands with a towel. Talia couldn't help but curl into herself when she saw the fury harbored in her eyes.

"That's it. Go to your room, young lady." Talia stood quickly, and went to her room, stomping all the way. When she pushes the curtain that serves as her door aside, the fabric started to smoke.

" _Shit_!" She beat at the curtain with the back of her hands, knowing her palms would only serve to burn it further. When she was confident that her "door" wouldn't catch fire, she stormed through her room, made her way to the window, and climbed out up to the roof.

She sat up there for hours, burning leaves that blew over to her, when she felt a particularly strong gusto of wind and someone sat down next to her.

The woman was beautiful, her skin a rich brown and her hair a stark white. She wore flowing white robes that seemed to shift in the now still air. However this matters little to her, as there was now a stranger sitting next to her on her roof.

"Who the hell are you?" She scooted away, not confident in her ability to stand on the slanted roof.

"My apologies for alarming you, little one. I am Storm, mistress of the elements, and member of the X-men."

"So you're in a group of trans women? That doesn't explain why you're on my roof." The woman laughed a little at that, as though shocked that was the conclusion Talia had reached. 

"Not ex-men, X-men. We are a team of mutant heroes that do our best to protect people, from mutants and non mutants alike. More importantly though, I also represent a school for young mutants. To help them learn about their abilities and the world around them."

"And you're trying to recruit me?" The woman, Storm, nodded. "Sorry, I don't think that's gonna happen. My parents aren't the biggest fans of my being a mutant at all. I dont think they'd like for me to learn how to be _better_ at it." Talia thought Storm looked a little disturbed at her blasé attitude towards her parents distaste for who she is.

"Your parents are not what matters here. You are. So, if given the opportunity, would you like to come to the institute?" Talia shrugged, "Yeah, sure. Could be nice to stop setting things on fire when I get angry. "


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Storm pays another visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I really didn't mean for it to take so long for me to write this.

It had been a week since Storm had spoken to her on the rooftop. After Talia had agreed to go to the institute, the woman had simply smiled and hid her a good day before leaving.

_She's probably reporting me for violating the Mutant Registration Act._ The thought was bitter, but it was the only conclusion Talia could come to after such a wait. She was fuming on the subject on the roof when she saw a full head of white hair walk up to her front door and knock. She could hear mumbling, but couldn't make out actual words. When her parents let Storm in, Talia raced to get back into her room, desperate to hear the exchange. She camped out at the top of the stairs to hear.

"Yes, we believe that your daughter is being _stifled_ in her current school. At Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters, we can challenge Talia and help her grow to her full potential." A bit of hope bloomed in Talia's heart. Storm was making it sound like a normal private school. 

"I'm sorry, this sounds nice, but _how much would this cost?_ I mean, we may not hurt for money, but a private school is likely outside of our budget." Talia's hopes fell. Her mother was right, they weren't exactly rich.

"We actually don't require tuition. There are enough benefactors that we are able to waive any costs for attending." 

"Give us just a moment, Ms. Munroe, I think we need a moment to speak." Talia's father sounded cagey. Where her mother had been cautiously optimistic, he seemed wholly against the idea.

They moved to the kitchen, and it was harder for Talia to hear them

"-recognize- X-Men- mutie _freaks_ think they know better- **_not happening_**." Her father's voice was angry, passionate about her not going. 

"James!" Her mother's voice was louder, more frustrated. Once she was sure she had his attention, her voice quieted. "-good idea- stop singeing- should-"

" _Fine_!" Her father was angry, but had clearly agreed to let her go. "But if this goes wrong, it's on _you_." His footsteps were loud as he walked into the living room. Talia knew her mother probably followed, but she'd always been light on her feet.

"Talia, it is _rude_ to eavesdrop," she called. "Get down here." She made her way down the stairs, blushing at being caught. 

"Sorry, mom." Her mother laughed a little, exhaling through her nose. 

"So, Talia, Ms. Monroe here wants you to go with her to learn to control your powers. So, you want to go?" 

"Yes, please. It'd probably be good to stop accidentally catching things on fire." She turned to Storm, smiling at her words, the same she'd used to agree last time. "When should I be there?"

"We can send someone to collect you tomorrow. Around 10?” Storm had a small, satisfied smile on her face, like a cat who’d just gotten a saucer of cream.

“Sounds good. I’ll be sure to be ready.” Storm stood from her spot on the loveseat and reached a hand out for Talia to shake, then for each of her parents, her father going last.

“Just know, Ms. Munroe, that if I had my way, my Talia would never be going with you. She can do so much better than your crowd.” His voice was practically dripping with spite, but Storm wasn’t fazed in the slightest.

“Then I suppose, Mr Dervish, that it is fortunate for your daughter that you did _not_ get your way. Good day to you. And to you as well, Mrs. Dervish.” Talia saw how red her father’s face was, so she sped quickly and quietly away. She spent the rest of the day packing up as many of her belongings as she could, too excited to differentiate between necessity and excess.


	3. Chapter 3

Talia woke early the next morning, before the sun was even up, too excited to stay asleep. She lay in bed awhile, looking out her window, trying her best not to think at all. When she saw the sun begin to paint blooms of pink and orange, she clambered out the window and onto the roof, wanting to spend one more morning watching the sunrise from her home before she went to the school. She sat there a while before she started to shiver. She looked at herself and realized she'd never changed from the tank top and boxers she slept in. As another shudder racked her body, she had an idea that she'd never entertained before.

She wanted to use her gift.

Looking around, she didn't see anything within reach, so she thought she could just heat her hands themselves.

Talia tried until she gave herself a headache, but her hands were just as cool as they'd been when she started. She began to berate herself, hating the fact that the people that were coming to help her were probably just wasting their time.

_They'll take me back here within the week, and everyone will know just how worthless I really am._

The mean, angry thought, fueled by disappointment, spite, and self loathing, turned out to be just what she needed.

She could smell the heat before she even saw the flames.

Granted, it wasn’t _entirely_ heat she was smelling. In addition to the pleasant campfire smell, there was also the distinct scent of her _burning arm hair._ She waved her hands in a panic, too preoccupied to remember both that her skin wasn’t burning, and that arm hair can grow back. Unfortunately, it seemed her panic simply made the fire spread.

The thought made her freeze.

It reminded her of the Devil’s Snare scene in the first Harry Potter, and she realized she simply had to calm down, and the fire would likely go out. After all, she had really only ever singed things when she was in a tizzy over something. She closed her eyes, and with a deep breath, she began to hum, an act that usually calmed her down.

She started with just an aimless string of notes, before she found herself humming Ride On by AC/DC. She’d heard it on the radio one day, and had fallen in love with the song. Eventually the calm of the beloved song relaxed her enough for her to lie back onto the roof’s shingles, and bask in the warmth of the now risen sun.

That is, until she heard the car door close below her. She shot into a sitting position, realizing that she’d dozed off and the car she’d just heard was probably her ride to the school. She rolled over onto the balls of her feet, trying to scramble over to her window, but lost her footing, tumbling backwards off the roof.

Despite the fact that she fully expected to hit the ground and get hurt, Talia was met instead by a pair of leather clad arms catching her bridal style before setting her gently on her feet.

“Watch your step, petite. You can get hurt that way.”

“Oh, shit thank you, I am _so_ sorry. I just lost track of time and I- I lost my step and-”

“Whoa, relax. You ain’t gotta apologize to Gambit. He ain’t gon hurt you none. Rather catch you than see you get hurt.” At his reassurance, Talia took a deep breath and began to calm down.

"Well, thank you regardless." She stuck out a hand and tried to seem older and more confident than she really was.

"I'm Talia." When he didn't reach out to shake her hand, Talia slumped and started to withdraw her hand. Noticing this, he reached out and kissed the back of her hand.

“Remy Lebeau at your service, chére. But you can call me Gambit, non?”

"Well it's nice to meet you Gambit. Now can you give me a boost back onto the roof so I can get my stuff?"

"Happy to oblige, petite." With that, the Cajun man bent at the waist, picking Talia up, before jumping straight up onto the roof. He sat her down on the shingles and jumped back down when he was sure she was safe. Talia however, had to take a moment to process the fact that he was even _able_ to jump what was easily ten feet in the air. She tried to recover quickly though, so she could get changed and leave as soon as she could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to say I LOVE Gambit, and he will likely be a major fixture in the story, just because I can't stand to see my favorite Cajun be unappreciated.


End file.
